Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-08

I fallen at MOOllonteln Tor several days, ana
! there had been hot sun and dry wind, and,
as a result the thatch was as dry as finder.
/ The light caught III a second, and in two
! more thin line of fire was running up the
roof.
Hendrix paused stepped few PAGES back,
resting his shoulders against the wall, i'm
mediately the other side of which was Jantje,
and proceeded to chuckle aloud and rub his
/ hands as he admired the results of his handi-
work This was too much for the Hotteutot
on the farther side The provocation was too
great, and so was the opportunity. In his
hand was the thick stick on which he was so
fond Of cutting notches. Raising it in both
hands he brought the heavy knob down with
all his strength upon the one eyed villains
unprotected skull. 1t was n thick skull, but
the knob prevailed against it and fractured it,
and down went the cstimablo witch doctor as
though he were dead.
Next. taking a leaf out of his fallen enemy's
book, Jantje slipped over the wall, and, seiz-
ing the scnsecss man, dragged him by one
| arm into the kitchen and rolled him under the
table to keep company with the dead dog.
Then, filled with fearful joy, he slipped out,
shutting and locking the door behind him,
and crcpt round to point of vantage in
little plantation seventy or eighty yards to
|
the connagration that he knew must eusue,
for the fire had taken instant and irremedi-
able hold, and also see what the Beers were
doing.
Ten minutes or so afterward that amabe
character licudrik partially reganed his
senses to find himself surrounded by a sea of
fire, in which he persisted miserably, not hav-
ing power to move, and his feeble cries being
totally swallowed up and lost in tho fierce
roaring of the flames, even had there been
anybody there to hear them. And that was
the very appropriate end of Hendrix and the
magic Of Hendrix.
Down by the flagstaff the odd man lay in
his fit, with Bessie tending him and posse of
Beers standing round, smoking and laughing
or lounging about with an air of lordly
superiority well worthy of victors in posses
sion.
"Will none of you help me to take him to
the house" she cried. Surely you have ill
treated an old man enough"
Nobody stirred, not even Frank Muller,
who was gazing at her tear stained face with
a fierce smile playing round the corners of his
clean cut mouth, which his beard was
trimmed to leave clear
at will pass, Miss Bessie" he said; sit will
pass. | have often seen such fits. They come
from too much excitement or too much
drink
Suddenly he broke off with an exclama-
ton. and pointed to the house. from the roof
OF which pale curls OF blue smoke were rising.
"Who has fired the house," he shouted
"By Heavenl | will shoot the man"
The Beers started round and stared in
establishment, and as they did so tine finder
like roof burst into broad sheet of flame
that grew and gathered breadth and height
| .
then, too, light breeze sprang up from over
the hill at the rear of the house, as it some
times did at this time of the day and bent
the flames over toward them in an immense
arch of fire, so that the fumes and heat and
smoke began to beat upon their faces.
ooh, the house is burning DOWN. cried
Bessie, utterly bcwildered by this new mis-
fortune.
"Here, YOU shouted Muller to the gaping
Beers, go and soc if anything can be saved
, Phew We must get out of this and stoop-
ing down, lie picked up Sas Croft in hls
arms and walked off with him, followed by
Bessie, toward the plantation on their left
which was the same where Jantjo had taken
refuge In the center of this plantation wa,
a little glade surrounded by young orange
and blue gum trees Here he put the old mar
down upon bed Of dead leaves and soft
springy grass, and then hurried away, with
ont 8 v,or1 70 tba fro o,1,, to rud ti,o+ a.,
house was utterly unonnroocIoIIn In firteo,
minutes. such was tbo raniditv win wIicI
. the fame, did their worL, mon fine mass ot
DIV straw mad fine wooden roof ona Aoorjr,,.
hcueofb. fine whole of tho interior of III,
t house was flowing, incande,ccnt pile, and
in hali an hour it was completely quite l.
nothing being Ic,t standing hut the mG--i.'
outer wail, Of stono. over which - d.,s.
, column Of smoke b,,p, lil.n p r.U Nooirn.
tein was n blacknnod rrin. orIv tho stabIa.
, and outbo,se, which ,yoro roorod ,,,t,b coI-
vonizad iron haiu,, loft uriniu,.o1
Frank Muller had NOT hecn rome five
r,;,,,,+os IL, 80 p,s.io- i,,. - ,,,o1o
l',,,,,''I III .','l,,,I l.'t',,'
F.What !. J.. ,,hn+ j.. i....,.l u,,,1
..,.',,"'. ,,.,,.. ~, -,
c,,,,', ti,..,. ,,',t i,..,., ,,,'l...
~. ,,,,,, ''', ,t ,',' ia
mia, 81 ,,,,,,, ,,,.,,.,,.a, ~. t,i , ....,